Timeline

Yangon, Myanmar – November 1, 2026 – The Mary K. Yap Foundation brought its #LittleChef Cooking Celebration to The Care for the Least Orphanage in Hlegu Township. Generously sponsored by Parami Pizza, children learned to prepare spaghetti under a chef’s guidance, with meals and refreshments provided for everyone. Beyond cooking, this special gathering brought children, volunteers, and community partners together to build confidence, strengthen community bonds, and inspire a lasting spirit of giving that helps every child feel valued and supported. Read More…→

Yangon, Myanmar – October 9, 2026 – The Mary K. Yap Foundation team, led by Shelly Meme Lwin, alongside Camila Müller, Gianna Ei Nandar Zaw, and Monica, our orphan intern, visited the National Theatre in Yangon to explore plans for a charity music festival in later part of 2027. Through music and community generosity, we hope to support our #Road2Digital Campaign, bringing digital learning opportunities and brighter futures to orphaned and underprivileged children. Stay tuned, more to come. →

San Francisco – July 8, 2026  – The First Lady Melania Trump champions a brighter future for vulnerable children through education, technology, and global collaboration. Her Fostering the Future Together initiative unites 57 nations and leading technology companies to expand digital learning opportunities and strengthen child welfare. Her vision closely aligns with the Mary K. Yap Foundation’s #Road2Digital, #HighSchoolEssential, and #TeachOneEachOne initiatives, reflecting a shared commitment to empowering orphaned and underprivileged children through education and opportunity. Read more….

Yangon, Myanmar – May 4, 2026 – The Foundation continues its commitment to education through #HighSchoolEssentials, supporting high school students from Galilee Church and Orphanage with additional tuition classes and private teachers. Through this initiative, students are given greater support to complete their high school education and take an important step toward building responsible, independent futures. Read more….

Yangon, Myanmar – March 28, 2026 – – The Mary K. Yap Foundation’s Executive Director, Mr. Peter K. Yap was graciously invited by Dr. Gregory A. Hedger to attend The International School Yangon (ISY) 7th Annual Fundraising Gala at the Pan Pacific Hotel Yangon. Under the theme “Future Focused, Timeless Care,” the evening celebrated compassion and community service. A respected educational leader at ISY since 2016, Dr. Hedger has championed the Chinthe Fund, supporting three charitable organizations dedicated to vulnerable children, underserved communities, and animal welfare. Pic L-R (Peter Yap, Dr. Gregory Hedger, Mike Simpson.) Read More +

Yangon, Myanmar, February 14, 2026 – Two months after the commissioning of the 1,000-liter water tank on December 13, 2025, to bring clean water to the Home of Beacon Orphanage, the Foundation is proud to present our recent work under the H2OHope Campaign. Our project team successfully completed the installation of banner-signage recognizing the Foundation’s first “Clean Water Station,” where all children can freely and confidently drink safe, clean water without any concern about contamination. Read More +

January 15, 2026 — Bethany Snyder, a native of Pennsylvania, USA, an engineer by profession, and a true Champion of Hearts for community service and giving back, shares how her one-month volunteer experience with the Mary K. Yap Foundation in Yangon touched her more deeply than any work she has undertaken in her professional career. In just a short time, the children, the community, and the shared purpose left a lasting mark on her heart. Read More +

December 28, 2025 – Yangon, Myanmar – The Foundation proudly commissioned the #H20Hope clean drinking water system at the Home of Beacon, providing 85 children with safe, reliable water from a 1,000 ML tank. The installation, featuring advanced treatment, purification, and filtration, ensures children’s health and daily needs are supported. This milestone marks the first step in the Foundation’s mission to uphold the basic rights of orphanages across Myanmar, made possible by the support of our donors and community partners. Read More +

December 20, 2025 – Yangon, Myanmar – The Foundation proudly welcomed the first students of #SketchandHope, a social confidence-building program for orphan children. Through creative activities like sketching, storytelling, and teamwork projects, children learn to express themselves and build important social skills. This milestone marks the beginning of a journey empowering children to grow with confidence, made possible by the support of generous donors.

December 11, 2025 – Yangon, Myanmar — The Foundation’s Clean Water #H20Hope initiative brings clean, safe drinking water to orphanages in Myanmar by using well water as a sustainable solution. The photo shows Executive Director Peter K. Yap, alongside the engineering team from Conway Tech Myanmar, conducting on-site groundwater testing to measure content for lead, iron, and pH levels. about how you can be part of this impact to improve the water sanitation. Read More+

December 7, 2025 – Bago, Myanmar — Assessing the feasibility of treated bamboo as a durable, low-carbon building material, this visit explores how locally sourced and properly treated bamboo can reduce construction costs, extend lifespan, and support climate-resilient infrastructure—advancing sustainable, inclusive, and equitable e-Learning educational environments for children in alignment with UN SDGs 4, 9, 12, and 13. #Read More +

November 30, 2025 — Yangon, Myanmar – Peter K. Yap, Executive Director of the Mary K. Yap Foundation and Producer of Charity Film Unbroken Ties, shared how purposeful storytelling drives social impact. The Foundation’s support aligned creative cinema with the UNSDG to benefit orphan children. The session inspired young Myanmar creatives to do their work responsibly—showing that compassion and creativity together can change lives. Read More +

November 10, 2025 — San Francisco, CA, USA— The Mary K. Yap Foundation launches #SketchandHope, one of our six social development programs empowering orphaned children through art, building creativity, confidence, and expression, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. #ArtIsMyVoice Read More +

August 2, 2025 – Hlegu, Yangon, Myanmar—The Mary K. Yap Foundation responded to an urgent appeal from Agape Child Care Home, a long-standing orphanage serving children for over 30 years, after their boys’ dormitory roof was destroyed by heavy rain and wind. Through the #OrphanReliefs Emergency Aid Program, the Foundation funded the  Read More +

June 24, 2025 – With heavy hearts, the Board honors and celebrates the life and enduring legacy of Mr. Danny Nanasei Mainoo, a beloved Orphanage Ambassador for the Foundation from 2022 until his passing on June 24, 2025. Danny was more than a leader—he was a light to the children of the Royal Seed Home in Ghana, a tireless advocate who gave his heart to their hopes and futures. Read More +

April 10, 2025 – The Foundation is pleased to share the story of Monica Ling Khaw Lam, a 19-year-old who reflects on her journey from Myittar Mon Orphanage to pursuing her dreams in Yangon—grateful for the care of the Sisters and the support of the Mary K. Yap Foundation, which continues to inspire her desire to give back. Read More +

March 6, 2025 – Yangon, Myanmar – Foundation Program Manager Meme Lwin, one of our four orphanage ambassadors in Myanmar and sixteen globally, visited the Home of the Beacon in Yangon—an orphanage with a long history of serving over 80 children and one of 23 that joined a nationwide charity viewing. #hopeforallorphans Read More +

February 22, 2025 – Yangon, Myanmar – The Foundation visited Alpha Educational Center, a privately managed orphanage 90 minutes from Yangon, where founders Ma Deborah Kim—a university Geology  major—and her husband provide shelter and learning for orphaned and vulnerable children; their efforts to build a preschool center reflect the power of community-driven compassion.#hopeforallorphans Read More +

February 9, 2025 – San Francisco, CA – The Mary K. Yap Foundation is honored to celebrate the Best Picture nomination at the 66th Myanmar Academy Awards Ceremony, where—among 80 contenders—our internationally award-winning film, produced in partnership with Mandalay Productions and dedicated to advancing the lives of orphaned children in Myanmar, was proudly shortlisted as one of four finalists by the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization. #unbrokenties

January 28, 2025 – Manila, Philippines – United in Compassion with the Philippines Orphanage Ambassador – In a meaningful and impactful meeting of minds held in Manila, Executive Director Peter K. Yap of the Mary K. Yap Foundation met with one of our esteemed Orphanage Ambassadors from the Philippines to strengthen shared efforts in uplifting orphaned children through compassion-driven and heartfelt collaboration. #hopeforallorphans

January 9, 2025 – San Francisco, CA – As part of the Mary K. Yap Foundation’s commitment to social development, we thank our partners and supporters for making the Hope for All Orphan “Movie for Charity” a success, giving 1,300 orphaned youths from 23 orphanages the unforgettable experience of their first cinema screening—reflecting our shared mission to uplift vulnerable communities through compassion and engagement. #hopeforallorphans

December 28, 2024 – Yangon, Myanmar – The Foundation’s Hope for All Orphans charity movie project is thrilled to partner with Mandalay Productions and Ipanema Kids—a leading Brazilian children’s footwear brand with stores across major Myanmar malls—to bring 55 children from New Life Orphanage in Dala Township, just an hour by boat from Yangon, to J Cineplex (St. John City Mall) for their first-ever movie experience. #hopeforallorphans

December 27, 2024 – Kyauktan, Myanmar – Following the Christmas holiday season, the Mary K. Yap Foundation spent a heartwarming day singing, laughing, and engaging in meaningful activities with 145 orphan girls at St. Mary’s Home in Kyauktan—just an hour outside Yangon—creating cherished memories that carried the spirit of the holidays into the New Year. #hopeforallorphans

December 19, 2024 – Yangon, Myanmar — We are truly grateful to the National University of Arts and Culture and Auntie Swe Zin Htaik—our dedicated Orphanage Ambassador and the film’s Unit Director—for supporting the premiere event and generously sponsoring her students to experience this inspiring and heartfelt charity film. #hopeforallorphans

December 06, 2024 – San Francisco, CA – The Foundation proudly announces a meaningful collaboration with our Partners of Hope, Corporate Partners, and Social and Religious Organizations—united in their commitment to uplift orphaned children. Together, they support the Movie for Charity Project, an initiative that advances the well-being of orphans through storytelling and compassion. #hopeforallorphans Read More +

December 01, 2024 –Bahan, Yangon, Myanmar – We’re excited to announce the upcoming Charity Bazaar at St. Augustine Catholic Church this December. The event unites church members, community leaders, and NGO friends to support our charity film, dedicated to the future of orphaned children in Myanmar. #hopeforallorphans Read More +

October 19, 2024 – Santa Clara, CA, USA – In a moving display of unity and compassion, Foundation Founder Mary K. Yap and devoted patrons from the Burmese American Catholic Fellowship (BACF) —under the Archdiocese of San Francisco and led by Father Rick Vandewater—graced the California premiere of Unbroken Ties, a powerful charity film dedicated to bringing hope and support to orphaned children in Myanmar. See More +

September 27, 2024 – Taungoo, Yangon, Myanmar – Here is a joyous photo capturing the program management team warmly embracing orphaned children as they stepped forward from the very heart of resilience—emerging from the storm-battered halls of Sacred Heart Church, where hope was rekindled in every shared moment on the church compound grounds, just weeks after the September month’s devastation of Typhoon Yagi. #hopeforallorphans

September 10, 2024 – Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, Malaysia – As part of the 15th year of the Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival (KKIFF), the Mary K Yap Foundation, in partnership with Mandalay Productions (USA), proudly presented the Asian premiere of Unbroken Ties, a powerful charity film dedicated to advancing hope and opportunity for orphaned children. Read More +

August 05, 2024 – Yangon, Myanmar – The Articles for the Myanmar Orphan Children Association (MOCA) are in final discussion to establish a dedicated and sustainable local association, with the Mary K. Yap Foundation set to proudly serve as a founding member alongside committed local and international directors, uniting efforts to champion the well-being of orphanages and accelerate transformative hope for all current and future orphan initiatives. #hopeforallorphans

June 04, 2024 – San Francisco, USA – #FirstSeed Campaign is the Foundation’s bold step toward empowering orphanages with sustainable gardening practices, enabling them to grow crops and support daily nourishment with dignity and self-reliance. Read More +

April 05, 2024 – San Francisco, USA – Launching in 2025, H20Hope Campaign is the Foundation’s newest initiative focused on delivering clean water, hygiene education, and sustainable infrastructure to orphanages in need, advancing our mission to build healthier futures for vulnerable children. #H20Hope and #nonprofits Read More +

February 16, 2024 – Mahachai, Samutsakorn, Thailand – The Mary K. Yap Foundation and Labor Protection Network (LPN) discussed a potential partnership to support Burmese orphan children near the Thai-Myanmar border. Photo (R to L): Bheemkhet B, Peter K Yap, Sompong Srakaew (LPN Founder & ED), Akkapon Purnanasamriddhi (G2D CEO), Daw Meme Lwin (Program Manager, Mary K Yap Foundation).

January 26, 2024 – Paing Htet Kha, a 22-year-old student and freelance English tutor from Yangon, shares how volunteering at a Christmas 2023 orphanage event in Thanlyin—organized by the Mary K. Yap Foundation—deeply transformed him, teaching valuable life lessons in empathy, leadership, and teamwork while also reinforcing his commitment to building a more compassionate and inclusive society. #hopeforallorphans Read More +